The car manufacturer Renault announced the recruitment of Peugeot (PSA group) design director Gilles Vidal, whose style has accompanied the recent move upmarket of the French brand, in a statement released on Wednesday.
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Gilles Vidal, 48, has been in charge of Peugeot design since 2010. He has renewed the stylistic identity of the lion brand through iconic models such as the 3008 SUV which has been a great commercial success. He will take up his post at Renault in November and will report to Laurens van den Acker, director of industrial design and member of the group's executive committee.
“ Gilles was a source of inspiration for many, ” commented Laurens van den Acker, quoted in the press release. " His experience recognized by all, his sense of innovation and his passion for design will be real assets for the Renault group ".
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At Peugeot, Gilles Vidal was replaced by Matthias Hossann, 40, who had been responsible for the forward-looking design of the brand since 2013. The diamond group had already announced on Monday the recruitment of the design director of Seat (Volkswagen group), Alejandro Mesonero -Romanos, 52 years old. The latter worked with Renault's new CEO, Luca de Meo, who ran the Spanish brand before joining Boulogne-Billancourt. Seat models have undergone a significant styling change which has contributed to their commercial successes in recent years. Alejandro Mesonero-Romanos will also report to Laurens van den Acker, when he arrives in October.
The Renault brand, struggling in Europe, is seeking to move upmarket, in particular to differentiate itself from its low-cost Romanian label Dacia.
